


On The River

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Atlantis (UK TV)
Genre: Drama, Gen, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 00:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5562643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mission for Ariadne doesn't go as planned. Just for a change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On The River

**Author's Note:**

  * For [deinonychus_1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deinonychus_1/gifts).



> Written as a Christmas present for the lovely deinonychus_1 who gave the prompt “is it supposed to do that?”

There were many things that Jason didn't understand about Atlantis. He knew a bit about the myths but everything in this real Atlantis seemed mixed up and out of synch; but then maybe he was the one who was mixed up and Atlantis was as true to itself as it had ever been.

At least he had Pythagoras and Hercules to help him navigate these confused waters. Literally in this case.

He wasn't sure what this trip was supposed to signify, but Ariadne had asked them to travel to a neighbouring town that could only be accessed by boat, and who was Jason to argue with the Queen?

“Instead of staring at the oars, how about actually using them?” Hercules asked, using his own oar to splash water at Jason.

“Right, sorry,” Jason replied. He grabbed his oar and let his mind drift back into the rhythm they needed to get them to the High Priestess of the next town and retrieve the orb of something or other.

Behind him he could hear Pythagoras checking and re-checking their supplies. He'd been on edge ever since Ariadne had given them this mission, and Jason was starting to get worried.

“Will you stop it,” Hercules said. “We'll be fine.”

“Fine?” Pythagoras repeated.

“As long as we don't open the box we'll be fine.”

Jason looked over at Hercules. This was the first he'd heard about it. “What?”

Hercules sighed, his muscles easily taking the strain as Jason once more relaxed his grip on his oars.

“The Orb of Essodsho, its supposed to burn out the eyes of all who gaze on it. It's probably not even true.”

“Probably?” Jason asked.

“No, I'm sure it's just some old wives tale. A trinket with some superstitious nonsense attached to it.”

“Right,” said Jason, picking up his oars again. “Because that's always worked out so well for us in the past.”

“It's not a tale,” Pythagoras said. “It belonged to the Gods but fell from the sky in a storm and it doesn't just burn out your eyes it sends you mad too, as punishment for looking upon something that's been touched by the gods.”

“I dare say you would go mad if your eyes were burned out of your head,” Hercules observed.

Pythagoras huffed in displeasure. “This isn't a joke”.

“Who's joking?” Hercules asked. “The Queen's asked us to do this for her, and she gave us the coins to pay for it. We make the trade and come home. Easy.”

Jason couldn't believe what he was hearing. “All right. Who are you and what have you done with the real Hercules?”

Hercules pulled a face. “Fine. Get all worked up if you want. But I'm going to enjoy the fact that the sun is shining, the breeze is cool and we are well stocked with supplies. When was the last time that was true?”

Jason twisted around to look at Pythagoras. Pythagoras just shrugged.

“Right,” Jason said. “Let's just get where we're going before anything happens.”

He regretted saying it as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Especially when the first arrow landed right between his legs.

“Bandits!” Pythagoras said, as more arrows landed around them.

“Hercules, can we make it to the other shore?” Jason demand. “Hercules?”

“Not with a hole in the boat,” Hercules replied with a soft curse. Jason turned around just in time to find water gushing through several holes near Hercules' feet and Hercules pulling out an arrow from his leg with a soft grunt.

Pythagoras moved into action before Jason could, applying a poultice and bandages even as Hercules told him not to bother.

“We're going to have to swim,” Jason said. He looked between the far shore, blissfully clear of bandits, and then towards the nearest shore where the bravest of the bandits were already starting to wade into the river towards them.

“Swim?” Pythagoras repeated. “But...”

“Please tell me you can swim,” Jason said.

“Of course.”

“Great,” Hercules interrupted, just before he none too gently pushed Pythagoras into the water.

Jason opened his mouth to object but then thought better of it, grabbed one of the bags of supplies and dived into the water himself. He heard a second splash above him, which he hoped was Hercules and not another arrow, and then turned his attention to making sure Pythagoras was all right.

He dived lower and saw Pythagoras was at least in one piece, though he'd never seen anyone swim quite so inelegantly before.

Now wasn't the time to worry about that though and Jason went up for air, hopeful that the arrows would miss their target. Luck was with him and the bandits seemed more interested in rifling through the supplies they'd had to leave behind than in going after them.

By the time he flopped onto the shore next to Pythagoras he was exhausted, shoulders and legs aching in ways he knew he'd be really feeling in the morning. Hercules followed suit soon after, a trail of blood streaming down his leg.

“I need to look at that,” Pythagoras panted. He got himself onto all fours and started to crawl towards Hercules.

“We need to find shelter first,” Hercules said. With an effort that made Jason's eyes water he stood up and batted Pythagoras away.

“He's right,” Jason said. “We can't stay here.”

“Fine,” Pythagoras said. He had that look on his face that meant there would be consequences later. “Which direction?”

Jason closed his eyes for a fraction and felt a tug, as if from the middle of his chest. He'd come to accept, lately more than ever, that those feelings would be better followed than ignored.

“That way,” he said, pointing to the right.

“Let's get moving then,” Pythagoras said, barrelling past them. Jason and Hercules exchanged glances; Pythagoras was obviously going to be annoyed for quite some time.

* * * * *

“Who do you think it belongs to?” Jason asked.

“Farmer's probably,” Hercules grunted. He shifted over to the straw in the corner of the hut they'd found and flopped ungracefully to the floor.

Pythagoras finally leapt at the chance to examine Hercules' wound properly while Jason looked around their surroundings. They seemed safe enough for the time being but there was no chance they could risk lighting a fire, and the temperature was already starting to drop.

“I'm just going to check outside,” Jason said.

“Be careful,” Hercules said, but as Pythagoras was at that moment cutting through Hercules' trousers, Jason wasn't sure just who that had been directed towards.

Nevertheless he was cautious as he did a full circle of the hut, and praised the Atlantean gods when he came across a couple of sheep skins hanging to be dried. It meant that the hut wasn't completely deserted, but also that they wouldn’t freeze in the night.

Pleased with his find Jason hurried back to the others, only to stop in his tracks as he saw the state of Hercules' leg.

“Is it supposed to do that?” he asked. He winced in sympathy as the bone in Hercules' leg moved in a way he'd never seen before.

“No, it isn't,” Pythagoras said, “but I have a few things...”

Unfurling his medicine bag Jason watched as Pythagoras started mixing herbs and rolling them into a bandage that he then wrapped tightly around Hercules' leg, replacing the bandage he had put on it earlier.

“That'll keep it secure for now, but if we don't get home soon...” Pythagoras trailed off and looked up at Jason.

Jason nodded. Although they still had a mission for Ariadne, Hercules' life had to take priority.

“Let's get settled in for the night,” Jason said, “then we'll head out as early as we can in the morning.”

“Food first,” Hercules said, making grabby hands at Jason's bag, which still lay sodden against his back.

Rolling his eyes at Pythagoras, Jason pulled out soggy bread, damp cheese and fruit that actually didn’t seem too bad. He did his best to ration them out, ignoring Hercules' spluttered protests about the state of the food. Meanwhile Pythagoras was sorting them out some bedding, using the straw and sheepskins to get them all more comfortable.

“Any wine?” Hercules asked, the pain of his leg apparently forgotten in favour of stuffing his face, no matter the state of the food.

Jason handed over the bottle which at least had remained intact during his swim, and tried not to laugh at Hercules' disgusted face as he drank from it.

“Water?!”

“We are on a mission for the Queen,” Pythagoras pointed out.

Hercules mumbled something before settling himself back into their makeshift bed. Pythagoras fussed over him for a few seconds before Hercules glared him into submission. At which point Pythagoras settled down to sleep in the middle, with Jason nearest the door, weapon close to hand should he need it.

Lying on the straw lined floor with Hercules and Pythagoras wasn't really how he'd imagined the day ending, but this appeared to be his life now. And for all its dramas and risks to life and limb, he really wouldn't have it any other way.

“Go to sleep, you sap,” Hercules said, and Pythagoras laughed, his body shaking for a good few minutes until Jason pressed closer to him and Hercules' arm stretched over them both.

Yes, he definitely wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
